Elubo Government Hospital struggles to operate as Nurses shun postings

Two years after its commissioning, the Elubo Government Hospital is struggling to deliver critical health services due to a severe shortage of nursing staff, stemming largely from a widespread refusal by nurses to accept postings to the facility.

The hospital, which was built to serve as a major healthcare hub for the Elubo area and surrounding communities, currently operates at far below its capacity. According to the Medical Superintendent, Dr. Zachariah Musah, staffing challenges are crippling the hospital’s operations.

Speaking during a visit by the Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, Dr. Musah revealed that the hospital was operating with only 45 nurses out of the 120 required to function at full capacity.

“Because of the unavailability of skilled staff, some of our facilities remain closed. The issue isn’t the absence of need – it’s the lack of personnel,” Dr. Musah said.

Compounding the staffing crisis is the lack of adequate accommodation for healthcare workers posted to Elubo.

The absence of housing options, Dr. Musah noted, has further discouraged personnel from accepting transfers to the facility.

The situation drew sharp criticism from the Regional Minister, who questioned the policy enforcement surrounding nurses who reject official postings.

“It beats my mind why anyone in the health sector is transferred to a facility, refuses to go, yet remains in the system and continues to draw a salary.

“You have overstaffing in some areas, and in others, like Elubo, we hear of acute shortages,” Regional Minister Nelson said.

The minister called on authorities responsible for human resource deployment in the health sector to urgently address the discrepancy, stating, “I can never be convinced why such a situation exists and no one can.”

While the Ministry of Health works toward long-term staffing solutions, Mr. Nelson emphasized the need to make the hospital operational in the short term to justify the multi-million-cedi investment.

“The people of Elubo are counting on this hospital. We must find a way to turn it into the healthcare hub it was designed to be,” he said.

He further urged hospital management to prioritise patient care and proposed the establishment of a dedicated office to handle patient-related issues, ensuring the facility lives up to its mandate.

 

 

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